The Next Letter
by olivialynlee
Summary: [OneShot] Severus receives an unexpected letter. Slight HBP spoliers. Second in the Letters from Albus Trilogy


**A/N: After I wrote "_The Letter_", I had a couple more ideas to go along with that premise, so I decided that instead of one letter from Dumbledore, there were three. This is the second one. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review!**

**The Next Letter**

Second installment in the "_Letters from Albus_" Trilogy

It was a dark, chilly night, the kind that seemed to go on forever. The sun had set long ago and Severus Snape, former Potions master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had taken the opportunity to move to his next hiding place. The full moon was shadowed behind a thick cloud, and Severus wondered briefly if Lupin had remembered to take his Wolfsbane. A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach when he realized that it was no longer his place to worry about such matters. Looking back up into the sky, he noted that even the stars seemed to be hiding their faces from him. Not that he blamed them. Everyone else had turned their back on him. Why should the heavens be any different? Without the moon to shed light onto the dusty path that lay before him, Severus was able to blend into the night. His black cloak swirled around his tall slender body as he traveled quickly down the well-worn path. An owl hooted in the distance and Severus stopped suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He glanced behind him, trying to ascertain if he was being followed. His ragged breathing and pounding heart sounded deafening in the stillness of the forest. Severus squinted, but was unable to make out any shapes or figures on the path behind him. Grimacing, he wasn't sure who he feared would be following him. The _Enemies of Severus Snape_ list had grown considerably in the last three days. Turning around, he started down the path again, his pace accelerating with every step he took. He was trying to put as much distance between him and Hogwarts as possible, although he was unsure exactly where he was going. He just knew he had to get away from that place.

In the total blackness, Severus was unable to see the tree root that had begun to grow in the middle of the path. His foot caught the edge of the root and he stumbled, grunting as a branch pierced the skin of his right hand as he tried to catch himself from falling face first in the dirt. Breathing deeply to ease the pain, he looked at his hand trying to determine how much damage he had done. Unable to see the wound, he pulled his wand from his pocket and whispered, "Lumos."

Using the light, he methodically began to probe the gash on his hand, trying to understand how such a tiny branch couldcause so much damage. Snape sighed. He was going to have to take care of this before he traveled any further. Holding his wand up, he surveyed the area looking for a place where he could be somewhat hidden from anyone who may happen to travel down the path. In the distance, he saw the outline of a small cave. Standing, he hobbled over to the cave, trying to reach it before someone could spot the light.

He entered the cave, the light from his wand creating a flickering of shadows over the stone walls. Severusglanced aroundand noticed a ring of stones in the middle of the cave, with the remains of a long extinguished fire. Near the ring were several unused logs. It seemed as though he were not the only person to use the cave as a hide-out. Settling down, he picked up a few of the logs and placed them in the center of the ring. Whispering a spell that sounded loud in the silence, a fire leapt to life creating a warm glow in the cave.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief and carefully probed the area of his hand, wincing at the slight pressure. Wrapping the handkerchief around the open gash, he reached into his cloak again to pull out a healing potion that he had managed to grab before everything had turned to hell. His fingers grasped the cool glass bottle. As he pulled it out, a single sheet of parchment floated gracefully to the floor. Snape froze and stared at the writing on the letter. He would recognize it anywhere. He had seen it on many different occasions, but seeing it now, a chill swept through his body despite the blazing fire that burned in the cave. Opening the potion bottle, he quickly downed the contents, throwing the bottle against the wall in a sudden rage. It wasn't fair that he'd done what had been required of him, and now he was going to be tortured by letters from the dead.

Severus leaned back against the wall, folding his arms across his chest and glaring into the fire, refusing to even look at the letter. He closed his eyes, the memories from the last few days that he had been trying to suppress, coming back in a torrent. Dumbledore asking him, no forcing him, to follow through with the idiotic plan. Coming up to the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore falling. Potter calling him a coward. Running for his life and being accused of being a traitor.

His eyes opened and he looked down at the letter lying on the floor of the cave. His hand trembled as he picked it up and he cursed his weakness. What did it matter what the old fool had to say? He was dead and nothing would ever be the same again.

_Dear Severus,_

_I hope this letter finds you well and that you are safely tucked away somewhere. I understand the last few days may have been difficult for you._

Snape snorted, "Well, that's putting it a little simplistically, don't you think, Albus?" Snape looked around almost willing the man to answer him. Sighing, he turned back to the letter.

_However, I know you are a strong man and you will pull through this. I never would have asked for your assistance otherwise._

"I don't remember being asked," Snape ground out.

_You are a very loyal friend, Severus. _

Severus rolled his eyes. Why was he reading this tripe?

_Yes, I said friend. Don't roll your eyes._

Snape's head whipped up and he looked around frantically, sure that he was in the middle of one elaborate practical joke. Not seeing anything unusual, his eyes latched again onto the familiar scrawl.

_Anything I ever asked you to do for the good of the school or the Order, you did. It may have been kicking or screaming, but I could always trust you to think of others before yourself. If there were anyone else, I would have asked them, and removed this burden from you. But I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you were the only one strong enough to follow through with the plan when necessary._

Snape's throat tightened, the memory of Dumbledore falling, again replaying in his mind. He bit the inside of his cheek to ease the pain of the memories, by focusing on the pain of his body. He massaged his forehead, not sure if he could finish reading the letter. Dumbledore had been one of the few who treated Severus with respect and cared about him as a person. For Albus to require what he had, had been a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it would help destroy the Dark Lord, and free Snape from the double life he'd had to live.But on the other, he would be destroying the one person who had cared about him. Clearing his throat, he looked back at the letter.

_In the end, Severus, the truth will come out. And the truth will set you free. In many ways, you were like a son to me. You were exasperating and tried my patience, but your intelligence and faithfulness were never in question. Please take care of yourself, and don't make any foolish decisions. You have a role to yet fulfill in the final battle._

_As Always,_

_Albus_

_P.S. Watch out for those tree limbs in the middle of the road. They can be very dangerous._

Severus smiled tightly and shook his head. Albus' had a very strange sense of humor. Folding the letter carefully, he caressed the rough parchment; thankful for the sense of peace the words seem to bring him. Severus tucked the letter into his pocket and stared into the fire, feeling for the first time that everything was going to be okay. Leaning his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes and allowed the sleep he'd been denying his body to take over. He was going to need his strength for whatever laid ahead of him.


End file.
